Box and similar container



Dec. 5, 1950 w. J. CELL-A BOX AND SIMILAR CONTAINER Filed Sept. 16, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

dii'orrgy Dec. 5, 1950 w. J. CELLA 2,532,833

BOX ANDYSIMILAR CONTAINER Filed Sept. 16', 1948 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Fig Fi .5. 1

1'3 17 Zoj 7. 5 19 3 2 PI J45 3 INVENTOR.

Macaw rzww ailorn y Patented Dec. 5, 1950 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I EL .2532833V- I I BOX AND SIMILAR. CONTAINER 'William J. Cella, Forest ills, Y; Application September 16, 1948, Serial No. 4951c.

This invention relates to boxes and similar I containers, and particularly boxes of substantial and sturdy construction in which the walls and bottom are composed of wood or similar stiff and strong material, and the boxes are intended for H holding relativelyheavy goods, such as milk bottles or other bottled goods.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro vide a box of this characterwhich shall be foldable or collapsible, permitting'the box to be 001- The invention further contemplates the provision of a collapsible box of this character which,

while foldable or collapsible, is nevertheless extremely rigid and strong. when erected 'and-is capable of withstanding a great deal of rough handling and abuse without the possibility of collapse while in use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible box which can be instantly erected or collapsed without requiring the use of tools; which when in its collapsed or flattened condition will be .in the form of a relatively flat panel occupying very little space, and when erected will be rigid and sturdy and easily capable of bearing its contained load without becoming distorted or wobbly or losing its desired rectilinear shape.

These and other objects are attained by the invention, a more particular description of which will hereinafter appear and be set forth in the claim appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a box or container constructed according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is an end View of the same; Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the corner hinges; Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the box; Fig. 6 is a top plan .view of the box in its folded or collapsed condition; Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the second type of corner hinge employed in the box, and Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the lower portion of the box body near one end thereof.

The box shown in the drawing is-composed of five main elements, namely the side walls I and 2; the ends walls 3 and G, and the bottom 5, these parts being hingedly joined together in a manner to be set forth, whereby the box, when in its' erected condition as seen in. Figs. 1 to 3 and 5,

will form a sturdy, rigid structure, and when in its folded or collapsed condition-as seen in Fig. 6, will be compact and occupy relatively'little space, thus rendering it convenient for packing, storing and shipping.

.10 lapsed or flattened for shipment and storage;'

described is shown in detail in Fig. 4.

contained, in the box. In the form shown, each of the walls of the box, as well as thebottorn thereof, may be composed of a frame, consisting of strips 6, and a panel, consisting of the sheet shown at 1, these elements being nailed or otherwise suitably fastened together in any known manner to provide a side wall or bottom for the P container.

connection consisting of the two channel members 3 and 9 connected pivotally by the rivet or pin H3. The channel member a embraces the top edge of the side wall I and is secured to said wall by means of the rivets H or equivalent fastening elements. Similarly, the channel member 9 embraces the top edge of the end wall 3 and is fastened to said end wall 3 by means of the rivets IE or equivalent fastening elements. Channel member 8 is formed with a lug I3 which overlies the top of the member 9 and is pivotally attached to the same by the pivot'pin Iii. This hinge construction, shown at the upper rightin Fig. 1 at the top of the box is duplicated at the same corner of the box at the bottom. This hinge is also duplicated at the top and bottom of the diagonally opposite corner of the box, as indicated at M, said hinge construction serving to pivotally attach one end of the side wall 2 to one end of .the end wall 4 in the manner explained in connectionwith the side wall I and end wall 3. The hinge above The opposite end of theside wall I, or that end which is remote from the hinge just described, is coupled to the second end of the end wall 4 by a slightly difierent form of hinge, shown in detailin Fig. 7. This last-mentioned type of hinge consists of an angular channel member [5 which fits over or straddles the top edge-of the side wall I and is fastened thereto by means of the rivets ID or equivalentlastening members. Said hinge member has an integrally formed channel portion I'l extending at right angles to the part J5, and the portion ll fits over the top of a strip member 40 and is attached thereto by means of the rivet I8. Said strip member 4% constitutes a fixed right-angled extension of the side wall I and. it thus forms a part of the end wallr l when. thebox. is in its erected position, as :best

seenin Fig. 7,. The channel portion I1 is formed with a lug I9 through which the pivot pin 20 -ments 28 on the-ends of the bottom 5. channel reinforcements are attached to the bot- "tom by means of the rivets 29, clearly seen in "Fig.3.

extends to thus couple this hinge member [5 to a channel member 2| secured over the top of the end wall 4 by the rivets 22. This hinge construction just described, and shown at the upper left inFig. land also .in Fig. 7,l-is duplicated at the same corner at the bottom of the box and is also employed at the diagonally opposite corner of the box at the top and bottom and designated at 23.

The four hinges described, and twoof-which are of the construction shown in Fig. 4, and the second two of the construction showniin Fig; 7, are employed at the top and bottom of the sides and end walls of the box at the corners thereof, as clearly seen in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings.

The "bottom of the box, designated at 5, is

hinged to the side wall 2 by means of supporting brackets which extend downwardly from the corner' hinge membersand have lugs 23 receiving thepivot pins 2? which enter channel reinforce- These When the 'box is in its folded or collapsed condition, as shown in Fig. 6, the bottom 5 is folded upwardly'upon its hinges and is disposed vertically between the walls of the collapsed box.

Whenthe-box is in its erected or operative position, the bottom is swung downwardly to its horizontal position, and its free end is then supported upon flanges 30 dependant from the lower *hinge members on the side wall I of the box. It-will'thus benoted that the bottom 5 when in 'its 'lowered position is supported firmly by the brackets 25 and the fianges'39, and that the cover is actually disposed slightly below the lower .edge' 3| and 32 of the sides of the box as well as below the lower edges of the end walls of the box. This arrangement permits the bottom of the box to fit within the top of another box when onebox is stacked on top of another. A flange 33 constitutes a stacking guide to facilitate the placement of one box on top of another.

From the foregoing, the operation of the described structure will be readily understood. In

its erected condition, the box is shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, and Figs. 5 and 6. The bottom '5 being in its horizontal or lowered position, holds the walls of the box apart, and the box is thus maintained in a rigid and sturdy condition, particularly when filled with goods.

When "the box is empty and it is desired to fold or'collapse the same to the condition shown in Fig. 6, the bottom 5 is swung upwardly on its pivots 2?, the beginning of such upward swing or the bottom being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, until the bottom'is in a vertical position. Thewalls of the box are then pivotally moved "on the four corner pivots to cause them to assume the position shown in Fig. 6. It will be -therein noted that the bottom 5 is now located vertically, or with *its plane parallel to the plane of the-walls, and is positioned between the walls of" the box. It will be further noted that'the strip portions 40, located fixedly at one end of the wall I and at the diagonally opposite end of the wall 2, retain their fixed angular position in respect to the side Walls to which they are so attached. Since the pivot pins 20 are at the ends of these strips 49, the end walls 3 swing on these pivots 2 andcan lie parallel tothe 'side-zwalls, but. spaced therefrom sumcientlypto permit-the bottom 5 to be located between'ithe collapsed walls of the box. When the box is folded or collapsed, it will be noted that it is of rectilinear shape, with parallel sides and ends. It is therefore flat and compact andipermits a large number :of theseboxesto be stacked in:-collapsed form on top of one another without toppling, and

the packing, shipping and storing facilities of the collapsed boxes will be readily appreciated.

When the box is set up or erected, it is ex- .ceptionallysturdy and rigid and will perform the functions and readily stand the use and abuse .to which similar non-collapsible boxes are subjected.

"While I have described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be-"restricted thereto, but is broad enough to "cover all structures coming Within the'scopeof the'annexed claim.

What I claim" is:

An open top rectangular collapsiblebox; comprising hingedly connected side and end walls and a bottom hinged at one side edge adjacent the lower'edge of a side Wall, two diametrically oppositeends of the side walls carrying a'vertical strip extending normal to the plane of the side and forming a part of the adjacent endwall when the box is in set up, condition and further acting as end walls for the box when collapsed, upper and lower hinge members at the corners of the box, all of said hinge members being of U-shape and straddling upper'and lower edges of the side and end walls, two of thediagonally opposite corners having said hinge members, each composed of two sections with one section 'being of right angle formationin plan View and straddling the adjacent strip and adjacent .end

of the side wall and being pivoted .to the other hinge section beyond the strip in the Zone of the end wall, and the other two diagonally opposite corners having said hinge members pivotally connectedat the corners of the box, thebottom of the box being of lesser length and width than the box body and occupying a position below and inwardly of the side andend' walls of the box wheniithe latter is in set up condition for. the vertical nesting of boxes, the hinge mounting for thebottom comprising a pair of downwardly extending brackets secured to the inner face of eachof the side walls .and projecting below the bottom plane of the boxbody with. a. terminal portion on each bracket extending inwardly parallel with the bottom plane of .thebox, the brackets at one side having earsupstanding from said terminal portions and between which .a

side edge of the bottom is pivotallymounted with the pivots spaced inwardly-of the. inner face of the.. adjacent side wall and .the. brackets at the opposite side forming supports for the .free edge of the bottom.

WILLIAM' J. CELLA.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in. the file. of this patent:

UNITED STATES .PATENTS Number Name Date 006,448 Allison Dec. 5, 1905 830,145 Golightly .Sept. 4, 1906 1,218,846 Farnquist Mar. 13,1917 1,252,712 Messinger Jany8, 1918 1,617,900 Folmer Feb. 15,192? 1,809,917 Thomas June 16, 1931 2,235,093 Warnick Mar. 18, 11941 

